تَمَتَّع بِها ما ساعفَتكَ وَلا تَكُن

عَلَيكَ شَجَىً في الصَدرِ حينَ تَبينُ

Enjoy her while she allures you, and do not let

Enjoy her while she favors you, and do not become

Sorrow weigh upon your chest when she turns away.

A choking grief within the chest when she departs.

وَإِن هِيَ أَعطَتكَ اللَيانَ فَإِنَّها

لَغَيرِكَ مِن خلّانِها سَتَلينُ

For though she yield her healing balm to you,

And if she yields to you with softness, then know that she

To others she will freely give of her sweetness.

Will yield just as softly to another of her lovers.

وَإِن حَلَفَت لا يَنقُضُ النَأي عَهدَها

فَلَيسَ لِمَخضوبِ البَنانِ يَمينُ

And though she swears distance will not break her oath,

And even if she swears that distance will not break her vow,

No faith is kept by one whose locks are dyed.

There is no oath that binds the one with henna-dyed fingertips.